ABSTRACT
Cognitive disability is not a ‘choice’. Trauma and abuse are not a ‘choice’. Social exclusion is not a ‘choice’. Australian societal norms, informed predominantly by white (male), middle-class values, are designed to exclude vulnerable populations – those from low socioeconomic circumstances, those with limited education or employment skills, those with a criminal history, those from ethnic minorities, those who are homeless, those with substance abuse issues, those with mental health disorders, and those with disabilities. Australia’s colonial and patriarchal history has provided a foundation for the stigmatisation and exclusion of individuals and groups who fail to comply with expectations that include a good education, excellent job prospects, a goal of wealth creation, and above all, are ‘normal’. For the women in this study, exclusion via discrimination is a fact of life, which they feel powerless to change. While the literature pertaining to the interrelated matters cited above is both substantial and interesting, what it often fails to impart is the human component, the reality of the day-to-day existence for people such as these women. Facts and evidence are important, but so too are the human beings to whom such facts and evidence pertain.
